256 
THE PINK. 
-be required by those who are improving their 
collections, as indeed choice ones frequently 
are, you may repot them in rich compost, in 
large forty-eight size (five-inch) pots, or thirty- 
two (six-inch) size ; that is to say, the ordinary 
compost two-thirds, and one-third decayed 
cow dung, or thoroughly decomposed dung 
from a melon-bed, the additional richness 
-compensating for the confinement of the roots. 
These may be bloomed quite fit for- cutting, 
and some of the largest and most double 
varieties will not only bear to be bloomed in 
pots, but will carry all their buds to perfection, 
and yield flowers quite large enough to exhibit 
with ordinary sorts. 
PINKS FROM SEED. 
We need hardly say here that seed should 
be only saved from the very best varieties, 
those which are approved as approaching 
the standard — with thick petals, very round 
flowers, full, double, and rose-edged, colours 
dense, lacing good, and very regular ; such as 
these will chance to give a good progeny. 
The seed should be preserved in its pod till 
sowing time, for which the spring is best, as 
the plants get large enough in autumn to stand 
the same hardships as the pipings that are 
struck. Sow according to the quantity in pots, 
boxes, seed-pans, or in the soil itself, under a 
garden light and frame. Let the compost be 
the same as you would grow in. The seed 
must be sown evenly and not too thick, as it 
is better to have to mend the vacant places 
with seedlings taken from the thickest parts 
than to have them too much crowded any- 
where. As soon as the plants are large 
enough to prick out, prepare a bed as if for 
blooming, and plant them out four inches apart 
in the row, and six inches between the rows; 
or if room be scarce and seedlings plenty, do 
it three inches apart all over: here they may 
wait till they bloom, taking care that as fast 
as single or semidouble ones show themselves 
they are pulled up and thrown away, even 
before they can contaminate the seed of better 
ones : put sticks, shades, and cards, to any that 
are really promising, and clear off all others 
as fast as possible. Seedlings often bloom 
more vigorously than pipings, therefore it is 
rarely worth saving one with the hope of its 
improving, except the stool be large and the 
flowers numerous, in which case they will cer- 
tainly bloom larger another season. Although, 
from people being in too great a hurry to sow, 
they get large stools, and often, from the im- 
mense quantity, and the knowledge that 
ninety-nine of every hundred are not worth 
keeping, will not take the trouble to lessen the 
flowering stems or disbud them, until too 
late to keep the flowers, it is better to be 
careful of the seed, and treat the seedlings as 
if all were worth preserving. Suppose any 
one of them should be deemed worth notice, 
pipe all the grass of it as soon as it is large 
enough, and continue to pipe any other that 
grows, as fast as it arrives at a state to bear 
it ; and in all respects treat it afterwards as 
you would an approved variety. 
MONTHLY TREATMENT. 
January. — Protect the beds of pinks with 
litter, or hoops and mats, against excessive 
frosts and falls of hail or snow. Those in pots 
under glasses must be protected in like man- 
ner, as the frost easily penetrates the thickness 
of the pot, against the sides of which the roots 
lie. 
February. — Continue the treatment of last 
month, but give all the air you can in the 
mild weather. 
March. — If a fine open month, the beds 
may be hoed, the soil well bruised, and a top- 
dressing of dung, well decomposed, put all 
over it. Plants in pots ought to be now 
turned out in beds, or where they are to bloom. 
New beds may be formed with strong-rooted 
plants, removed with great care ; but they 
must not be expected to give flowers so good 
as those planted in autumn. Sow seed. 
April. — Plant beds from pots, and even 
from store beds, if neglected until now, but with 
diminished chances of bloom from the store 
beds, though good chance of success from pots. 
Hoe and top-dress, if not done before. Sow 
seed. 
May. — Weed the beds carefully, and occa- 
sionally hoe or stir the surface a little, without, 
however, injuring the fibres. If the weather 
be dry and parching, do not omit watering — 
not merely each plant, but soak the whole bed. 
Towards the end of the month, as the bloom- 
stems rise, remove all but one from each 
plant; put sticks to the remaining ones to tie 
them up to. 
June. — Weed the seed-beds as well as 
the blooming beds, and also seedlings in pots, 
for while in this state they are easily over- 
run and killed ; many small weeds, chick- 
weed in particular, twining their shoots all 
about the young plants, and killing them out- 
right for want of nourishment. Disbud all 
the flower-stems, leaving only the number you 
wish to bloom ; place the stakes ready to tie 
them up, if it was not done last month. As 
the flower-buds swell, tie them half way down 
with bass or even worsted, and tear down 
the calyx to the tie ; as the guard leaves, or 
petals, develope themselves, commence the 
dressing by placing them in their proper places; 
put on the shades, and give abundance of water 
in dry weather. Commence piping. Examine 
